JSON Pointer Evaluator

The JSON Pointer Evaluator resolves a JSON Pointer expression against a JSON document and shows you exactly what value it points to. It's the fastest way to test a pointer expression before wiring it into JSON.parse + manual lookups, a JSON Patch operation, or an OpenAPI $ref.

What it does

Paste a JSON document and a pointer expression, and the tool walks the document one reference token at a time, returning the resolved value as formatted JSON. If the pointer can't be resolved — a missing key, an out-of-bounds array index, or a malformed token — it explains exactly why instead of failing silently.

How to use it

1. Paste your JSON document into the JSON document field.
2. Enter a pointer in the JSON Pointer field, such as /user/roles/0.
3. Read the resolved value in the output — it updates as you type.

JSON Pointer syntax

A pointer is a string of /-separated reference tokens. Each token names an object key or, for arrays, a zero-based index:

• "" (empty string) refers to the whole document.
• /user/id walks into user, then id.
• /user/roles/0 walks into user, then roles, then the first array element.
• A literal ~ in a key is escaped as ~0, and a literal / in a key is escaped as ~1 (so a key literally named a/b is addressed as /a~1b).
• /user/roles/- is valid syntax reserved for appending to an array in JSON Patch, but has no value to read — evaluating it returns an error here.

Common uses

• API developers testing $ref/pointer expressions used in OpenAPI or JSON Schema documents.
• Backend engineers verifying a JSON Patch (RFC 6902) path before applying it.
• Anyone debugging a deeply nested JSON payload who wants to confirm a path resolves to the value they expect.

Is my data private?

Yes. Evaluation happens entirely in your browser — your JSON is never uploaded to a server.